These homes are available for $7,000 a night or more during the RNC. They’re also unlicensed.

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These homes are available for $7,000 a night or more during the RNC. They’re also unlicensed.

Scores of short-term rental homes have been listed by local real estate agents in anticipation of the *********** National Convention next week. Among them is a likely familiar face for Waukesha County Republicans — Chris Slinker, vice chair of the Waukesha County *********** Party.

Slinker, the owner of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Metro Realty, lists at least 10 rental properties geared toward RNC attendees on his company’s website, including a

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per night.

However, records show these properties aren’t licensed to be on the market.

“I had forgotten because I don’t do these very often,” Slinker told

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. “I normally do sales.”

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Chris Slinker, vice chair of the Waukesha County *********** Party and real estate agent with Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Metro Realty, uses his

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page to advertise a Pewaukee home available for rent during the *********** National Convention.

His listed properties do not have tourist rooming house licenses, which are required for every Wisconsin home that is rented out for less than 30 days, according to Waukesha County’s Environmental Health Division, the Washington Ozaukee Public Health Department and the Milwaukee Department of Neighborhood Services.

Some Wisconsin municipalities enforce their own short-term rental laws, which Slinker also ******* to comply with for his

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listing in Mequon. The property does not have Mequon’s $60 short-term rental permit, according to Kim Tollefson, the city’s director of planning and development.

He’s not alone. Plenty of RNC rentals are missing required licenses, according to a search of

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.

Even some of the priciest RNC rentals — like those listed by companies Powers Realty Group and Keller Williams Realty in Milwaukee’s North Shore for up to $15,000 a night — do not have tourist rooming house licenses, according to the database.

Regardless, Slinker said he hasn’t rented out any of the properties due to lack of interest. Most RNC attendees are staying in hotel rooms, he added, which lessened the demand for individual homes.

Slinker does not own the properties himself. He said homeowners reached out to Berkshire Hathaway for help renting out their homes during the RNC.

“We were there ready to equip and help people who may want to rent their homes,” he said. “But, obviously, it wasn’t needed.”

Slinker said Public Investigator’s inquiry reminded him of the permit requirements.

“I actually appreciate you reminding me about the rule that I forgot about,” he said. “We wouldn’t rent any of these homes out without completely complying with all those laws and regulations.”

If someone were to rent one of Slinker’s listings between now and the RNC, Slinker said he would ensure the property was in compliance with short-term rental laws. However, at this point, he said he’s doubtful anyone will.

Even if they did, there likely isn’t enough time to obtain the permits, he added.

Short-term rentals must pass safety inspection

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a tourist rooming house license is $110 and is only granted after the property passes a $300 initial inspection.

Inspections ensure the home complies with

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regulations and is equipped with basic amenities, such as clean drinking water and enough bathrooms. Rules for tourist rooming houses are enforced to protect public health and safety,

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However, DNS communications coordinator Jeremy McGovern said an online listing isn’t sufficient evidence for a violation.

In order to investigate a potential violation, McGovern said DNS has to receive a complaint.

“For example, a neighbor suspects that an adjacent property activity indicates a (tourist rooming house),” said McGovern.

Then, if the department verifies the property doesn’t have a license, it will conduct an inspection, McGovern said.

After Public Investigator asked Waukesha County if Slinker’s listings were licensed, the county’s environmental health manager Sarah Ward said in an email that the department will reach out to the property owners and notify them of the licensing requirement.

Dan Richter, spokesperson for the state’s Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, said a tourist rooming house license must be held by the “operator,” someone legally responsible for the management of the property. The operator could be the homeowner or a management company, said Richter.

Slinker once planned to list hundreds of homes

Slinker is one of several business owners named in a February

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about RNC rental homes hitting the market.

In the article, Slinker said he planned to line up 200 to 300 homes for the RNC for around $5,000 to $40,000 per week, seeking properties near amenities like golf courses.

However, Slinker told Public Investigator he ended up only listing about 15.

The Business Journal article ends by advising homeowners who want to rent out their properties to be aware of local restrictions.

In Shorewood, for example, it warns: “Homes being used as short-term rentals require a license.”

Quinn Clark is a Public Investigator reporter. She can be emailed at *****@*****.tld. Follow her on

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel:

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